Amusement device



Nqv. 1, 1938. G. D. FLEAK 2,135,176

AMUSEMENT DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 18, 1957 Nov. 1, 1938.

G. D. FLEAK AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Deo. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7 j! ji si J5 S Nov. 1, 1938. G, D FLEAK Y y 2,135,176

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed DeG. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 9 fig@ Nov. 1, 1938-.

G. D. FLEAK 2,135,176

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application December 18, 1937,` Serial No. 180,584

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to amusementV delvices or games, and hasv asiits principal object to :fprovideadevice ofY this character where two or fmore playersmay compete with each other in a 'i5 way thatinvolves the speed and skill of operation by. a player of a flever to. produce movement of a i lvisbleobjecttoward agoal that determines the Winner by indicating the first object Vto arrive in i amaccurate and effective manner.

'50.0 This invention .is .an' improvement upon my `zPatent'No. 1,965,140. In that patent, a plurality offfigl.1resv maybe caused to climb poles in re- .'.spcnse to-theplays of two or more contestants. :Theipresent invention contemplates certain imi 5;'prov'ements over the device shown in that patent i wherebythe position of the contestants lwith re- :upspect toA thesgures may.. be somewhat remote uwithoutnadversely affecting the play. In the present device novel driving meansfor causing -20'4 the climbing gures to move in response to accurate. shots by the contestants are also provided.

It'isapurpose of the invention to provide, in

:la 4.machine of the character described, means vwhereby, when two or moreY gures approach the f2.5.:` goal almostat thesame time, extremely accurate i. meansoi indicating the winner may be employed. v

Other andmorefdetailed objects and advantageswilL-appear. as thedescription proceeds in fr connection with the accompanying drawings A,.30'lwherein a preferred form of the linvention is shown. :It is to be iunderstood, however, that the 'drawings and description are illustrative only, *and lare not to be taken as llimiting the invention, @except insofar as it is limited by the claims. 1-35 ln'theldrawings, Fig;I lis a view in front elevation of a portion of the machine embodying -the invention;

Fig.l 2 isa sectional view on the line 2-2 of "Figa 1;

Fig. 3 -is asectional view taken on the lineV 3-3 A of Fig. 2;

=Fig. 4 isa fragmentary sectional view show- Iing -the details of the operating mechanism by "which the contestant plays the game;

Fig is av rear view looking at the back of the machine shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 6` is a plan sectional view taken on the 'line I"-Ii` of Fig. 5;

Fig.' l'I` is an end view looking toward the left hand' end of the machine shown in Fig. l; I j Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view looking down Vonthe mechanism shown in Fig:2;

'Fig'. 9 is a plan sectional View taken on the line 5559-9 of Fig. 5; and

f Fig. 10 isV a'view in side elevation of the mecha- "nism `shown in Figs; 8 and 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the present invention is embodied in a machine of the type commonly referred to as a carnivalk ma- -5 YVchine, in which provision is-made for a plurality f of contestants to engage in a game of skill. The machine embodies. a plurality of climbing figures I0 which are caused to move up and down a plurality of vertical rods I I. As shown in the draw-"10 ings, there are three of the climbing figures, although Vofcourse there may be as many as desired within practical limits, without changing the naturevof'the invention. vllach'igure is connected by its lower limbs I2 to a vertically mov# 15 able plunger I3 slidably mounted in the rod II. The upper limbs I4 of'eachvfigure are connected to a separately-movable plunger I5, also slidable Vinthe rod II. The rodsA II are hollow, and on the sides opposite the players they are provided 20 -with vertically extending slots, as indicated at I5 in Fig. 2, the connection of the limbs of the gures being 'made through the slot I5 to the Vrespective plungers. The lower plunger I3 is Vmoved upwardlyby means of cable or wireI1125 which passes up 4through the upper plunger I5 over a pulley-I8, then horizontally to the rear of the machine over a pulley I9,v and downwardly to a winding member 20. The upper plunger I5 4is movedby a second cable 2l which extends 30 lover vsimilar pulleys 22 and 23 and is also connected to the winding member 20. The winding member 20 is so constructed and the cables I'Il and 2| -are so connected thereto, as shownY best in Figs.

5 and 6, that upon actuation of the winding mem -35 -ber the lower plunger I3 is pulled up rst and -then remainsstationary vwhile the upper plunger I5 is pulled up the-same distance. This causes the lower limbs of the Vfigures to move upwardly iirst, and the upper Alimbs then move upwardlygo so asto simulate the natural climbing action of van animal. I

The winding member 20 is provided with integral stub shafts 24 and 25-which are journalled -in a frame 26. The cable Il is threaded through -4.5 an eye 2l in a lever 28 that passes throughv a bearing`29 formed on the lwinding member-20. The cable I1 is then secured at 30 to one cable receiving portion 3l of the winding member 20. The

cable 2 I-is secured to another cable receiving por- -50 `tion 32 of the winding member 20; the portion V32 being directly opposite the portion 3| but oiset axially of 'the'member 20. The 'lever 28 is extended through a zdisk 33 that is integral with `the stub shaft 24 and carries a stop pawl 34 which 55 up the gures, the tension upon the cable is suicient to hold the lever 28 over into alignment with the member 3|. In this position of the lever 28, the pawl 94 is drawn into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 'l so that it will clear the shoulder 35. This is also true on the downward movement of the iigures as long as part of the cable 1'! is wound around the portion 3|. At the end of the downward movement of the figure, however, the cable I1 finally swings free of the portion 3| so as to move the lever 28 counterclockwise with respect to the portion 3| through a very small angle. This movement takes place just before the figures reach their lower-most positions, and as a result, the pawl 34 swings out against the stop 36 so as to be in position to engage the shoulder 35 and thus stop the ligure at a different position. A light spring 28 connects lever 28 with disk 33.

Of course, on the winding up action which raises the figures, the winding member turns in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 9, and starts the winding of the cable |'l upon the portion 3| immediately, thereby forcing the pawl 34 inwardly by drawing the lever 28 toward the portion 3|.

The winding member 20 is driven by a friction disk combination embodying one disk 3'! integral with the winding member, and a second disk 38 pivoted on the stub shaft 25. Both of these disks have suitable coverings 39 of friction material adapted to engage a friction wheel 49 upon a drive shaft 4| which is driven by a motor 42. The disk 3l has a recess 43 in its periphery whereby, when the recess is opposite the friction wheel 46, no driving force will be directly placed upon the disk 3l. This disk, however, is provided with a plate 44 that'rests against the disk 38 in order that the disk 38 may, by the frictional engagement between the plate 44 and the disk 38, start the disk 37 into rotation. A` spring 45 presses the disk 33 against the plate 44.

Of course, thel disk 3l and the winding member 29 would continue to rotate `all the time while the shaft 4| is rotating if some means were not provided to prevent such rotation. This means is provided in the form of a lever 46 pivoted at 4l upon a suitable standard 48. The lever 46 has a stop portion 49 adapted to engage a projecting lip 59 on the portion 32 of the winding member 2U. As shown best in Fig. 2, this stop portion is so located with respect to the recess 43 in the disk 3l that it stops the disk 3'! with the recess 43 opposite the friction wheel 49 when the lip 56 comes against the stop 49. It is clear, of course, that if the lever 46 is depressed out of the way of the lip 50, then the winding member will be rotated to wind up the cables l1 and 2| the amount measured by one complete rotation of the winding member 26. Of course, if the lever 43 were held out of the way, the winding would continue steadily. The lever 46, however, is normally held in stop position by a spring `and is only released by lifting it against the pressure of the spring 5|. This is accomplished by means of a link 52 and a lever 53 which has a portion 54 projecting into a ball race 55 where it may be struck by a ball 56 entering the ball race 55 and falling downwardly.

The ball race 55 is a vertical channel between -two semi-circular ball races 51 and 58. The ball 56 is propelled upwardly through the ball race 51 by a hammer 59 on the end of a lever 60. The lever 6D is held in retracted position by a spring 6| and can be advanced to hit the ball 56 by swinging it around its pivot 62 by means of a ilexible Bowden wire member 63. The Bowden wire leads to a thumb lever 64 that is mounted on a platform 65 in front of the figures and at any desired distance from the figures. The thumb lever 64 is enclosed in a shell 66 and carriesa stop member 61 which may be adjusted to maintain the wire B3 free of slack. It will be obvious that if the thumb lever 64 is depressed quickly, it will swing the lever 6) in a clockwise direction and cause the hammer 59 to strike the ball 56. If the proper speed is imparted to the ball 56, it will travel up the ball race 5l and drop into the vertical ball race 55 so as to strike the lever 54. If too much or too little force is applied to the ball 56 it will either go on into the ball race 58 or return back through the ball race 5l. Thus a contestant may exercise his skill and speed in manipulating the thumb lever 64 in endeavoring to cause the ball to enter the race 55. Each time the lever 54 is depressed by the ball 56 it releases the stop 49 onthe lever 46 and permits the Wind-:.225

ing member 2U to complete one revolution. 'I'his will cause the ligure to execute one climbing movement. The operation of the motor'42 is controlled by a mercury switch 68 which is connected by suit" able, wiring (not shown) into the circuit of the motor 42, which is a reversible motor, so that when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 7, for example, the motor will be caused to run in one direction to drive the winding member-in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus cause; the figures to climb. When the switch S3 is tipped in the opposite direction, it reverses the motor and thus drives the friction wheel 40 in a direction to turn the winding member 2li'v in a counter-'clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus lower the figures to starting position. The switch 68V is controlled by a link and lever arrangement4 which comprises a lever 69 xed to the switch 68, a long link 'l having ai. Vpivotal connection with the lever 69, a second link "il, and a lever 12 which is iixed to a shaft 73. The lever 'l2 is connected to a control link 13 by a lost motion connection provided by a slot M in the link 'i3 and a pin 'I5 on the lever 12. The link13 connects to a handy lever 16 at its lower end.' 'Ihe function of the hand lever 16 is to effect a return of the lever 12 when this lever has been raised to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7. Other functions of the lever 'I6 will be explained hereinafter.

The shaft 'I3 to which the lever 12 is xed extends across the top of the machine in back of the hollow rods and carries over each rod a permanent magnet 11 which is Vfixed to the shaft 13 so as to turn therewith. VThe, shaft '|3 also carries a weighted arm 18 which is of suii- -cient weight to turn the shaft 13 :and lift the lever l2 with its associated links and 10 to tilt the switch 68 into motor reversing position.`

Over each of the tubes there is also provided an indicating plate I9 wlL'ch is pivoted on the shaft 'I3 and has a portion underlying the magnet The winner of the race between the figures is indicated by raising the plate 19 of the winning figure in the following fashion:

Upon theupper plunger l5 there is provided a pin 80 which projects upwardly and is adapted to engage that part of the plate i9 which extends over the tube Il as the plunger I5 is raised into` CII l u h'old themplate oncel itlislbrought into contact ...therewithibut is .anotstrong.' enoughfitoilift Vthe "plate whenitv is spaced below the" magnet. 'Ater fthe-.plate `1 9.. and theimagnetl11.arebrought to- .dgether byISthe1-pinl180, `theigpin V'continues its ver- `itic'al movementrowith 'thelplungervl5 iwhich, of

Ucoursaturns the :shaft-13 sufficiently to move .the -:wei-`ght:18overitheverticalcenter line of the .ishaft 13r- 'aften` which l :thei weight .18S falls over into the positionf:shownlsiinudotted lines `rinrFig. 7,ither`ebyfcausing the lever 12 to reverse the motor and move the indicating plate 19, which has been brought into contact with its magnet 11, into a vertical position. The reversal of the motor, of course, prevents any of the other figures from being advanced further, and therefore only the figure whose plunger l5 pushed its plate into contact with the associated magnet 11 will have the plate 19 raised.

In order that a plate 19 once stuck to the magnet, will not continue to be lifted each time the machine is operated, I provide means for separating the plate from its magnet before lowering the figures for a new contest. This is accomplished by means of a small shaft 8| which runs in front of the shaft 13 and which carries a. series of wire loops 82, one loop in front of each of the plates 19. The shaft 8l has a lever 83 thereon which can be operated by a pull cord 84 to swing all of the loops 82 back toward the plates 19, and thus force any plate which is attached to its magnet away from the magnet so that it will fall into horizontal position.

It is necessary, in order that the contestants may all start at the same time, to control the balls 56 so that they will all be released for playing at one time. To accomplish this result, I provide a horizontally sliding bar 85 with a plurality of pins 86, one for each ball, which pins are located to extend into slots 81 provided in the back plate 88 of the ball race frame. The pins 86 are so located as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 that if the bar 85 is moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3 it will move the ball 56 upwardly toward the ball race 51, out of the range of the hammer 59. The lever 16 has an arm 69 which is adapted to bear against a pivoted arm 90 that is pressed outwardly by a spring 9|. The arm 90 is linked to a lever 92 which is ulcrumed on a post 93 and connected, at the end opposite to arm 90, to the bar 85 by a pin 94 sliding in a slot 95 in the bar 85. When the lever 16 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, it holds the arm 90 flat against the frame of the machine and thus pulls the bar 85 to the left, permitting the balls 56 to rest in playing position. Now, however, as the lever 16 is moved in a counterclockwise direction to the first dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, it rst moves the arm 89 away suiiciently to permit the arm 90 to move out and force the bar 85 to the right, thus forcing all the balls up out of playing position. Further movement of the lever 16 into the second dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 pulls the link 13 down to bring the lever 12 into the full line position shown in Fig. 7, and to restore the weighted arm 18 to its active position shown in full line in Fig. 7. This, of course, results in the lever 12 setting the switch 68 in the position shown in Fig. '7, which is the driving position where the motor is caused to rotate in a the-arm' k91)... into' the` full line. :position shown in Figs 1;l thus `retractingnthe l.bari 85 and: releasing Lftheballs'256 for play. ".The :motor will continue to run and the figures will beicausedv-to climb each time theb'all associated therewith is madelli) yto .pass throughftheQ-ball' race 55.

i From the .above description it is rbelievedathat the construction andI operation ofi this devicefwill i vbe' .readily: apparent .-tor :those I skilled :in the art.

Having thusrdescribedamy inventionfewhat.- E115 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement device having a plurality of upwardly extended guides, a figure operatively connected to each guide to be movable along the guide between a starting position and a goal, cable means for each gure for raising and lowering the gures along the guides, rotatable winding members for said cables, a common drivemeans frictionally connected individually with said winding members, stop means for each winding member operative to hold it against rotation in one direction only, manually actuated means individual to each stop means for releasing it, said drive means being reversible to turn said winding members in the other direction, and holding means individual to eachwinding member to prevent rotation thereof in said other direction, each of said cables being connected to the corresponding holding means to hold it in inoperative position until the cable is unwound from its Winding member.

2. An amusement device having a plurality of upwardly extended guides, a figure operatively connected to each guide to be movable along the guide between a starting position and a goal, cable means for each ligure for raising and lowering the figures along the guides, rotatable winding members for said cables, a common drive means frictionally connected individually with said winding members, stop means for each winding member operative to hold it against rotation in one direction only, manually actuated means individual to each stop means for releasing it, said drive means being Vreversible to turn said winding members in the other direction, and holding means individual to each winding member to prevent rotation thereof in said other direction, each of said cables being connected to the corresponding holding means to hold it in inoperative position until the cable is unwound from its winding member, said device having manual control means for reversing the drive means when said winding members are stopped by their respective holding means.

3. An amusement device having a plurality of upwardly extended guides, a gure operatively connected to each guide to be movable along the guide between a starting position and a goal, cable means for each gure for raising and lowering the gures along the guides, rotatable winding members for said cables, a common drive means frictionally connected individually with said winding members, stop means for each winding member operative to hold it against rotation in one direction only, manually actuated means individual to each stop means for releasing it, said drive means being reversible to turn said winding members -in the other direction, and holding means individual to each winding member to prevent rotation thereof in said other direction, each of said cables being connected to .the corresponding holding means to hold it in Y said drive means.

4. An amusement device having a plurality of figures mounted for movement in competition with each other to a goal, manually controlled means individual toeach gure for imparting movement to said figures, indicating means at thegoal for each figure adapted when moved by its associated gure to indicate that gure as the Winner, means movable with each gure for initiating movement of its indicating means when it reaches the goal, and means common to all of the figures operable upon the initial move-4 ment by any one of said figures of its indicating means to raise that indicating means into Winning position to the exclusion of the remaining indicating means, said means comprising a shaft,

a magnet for each figure secured to the shaft;

the indicating means having metal therein which when the indicating means contacts the magnet will be attracted by the magnet and held thereto, and means to move said shaft.

GLEN D. FLEAK. 

